Rural Health Medical Program, Selma AIR – AIDS Information and Referral and Selma Center for Nonviolence are coming together on Friday to address two of the most pressing issues facing our community: the spread of COVID-19 and the economic impact of COVID on area families.
From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. in front of the old Save-a-Lot building on Highway 80 East, the three organizations will offer parents or guardians of students attending schools in the Selma City School District or Dallas County School District the opportunity to take a free COVID test, free HIV test, and earn a $100 gift card by responding to a survey on virtual education and community development.
Since March, the Rural Health Medical Program has been working to provide COVID-19 tests across the Black Belt. The number of new cases of COVID-19 have continued to rise, reaching the ‘Imminent Outbreak’ status according to the BBCOVIDCare.com and ActCOVIDNow.org websites. In an effort to prevent asymptomatic spread and improve overall outcomes of those diagnosed with COVID-19, the Rural Health Medical Program is partnering with Selma AIR and the Selma Center to stop the spread of COVID and HIV as well as offer families economic relief during the holidays.
“In a time when so many are experiencing loss, whether it is the loss of a loved one or the loss of a job, it is important for all of us as community-focused agencies to become a part of the solution,” said Rural Health CEO Keshee Dozier-Smith. “We are delighted to partner and offer such needed resources to our community.”
During the four-hour outdoor event participants will be able to drive up to each of 3 areas to take a COVID test, take an HIV test, and answer a series of questions designed to capture information related to the virtual education experience from the perspective of parents of the Selma City Schools and the Dallas County Public Schools. In return for participation in the survey process, parents will earn a $100 gift card to help brighten the holiday season. To qualify, participants must present a photo I.D., take a COVID test, and present proof of their students’ enrollment in the Selma City Schools or Dallas County Public Schools. HIV tests are optional but recommended.
Along with the rise of new COVID cases in Dallas County has come new diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Lydia Chatmon, Grants Program Manager at Selma AIR said of the partnership, “The intersectionality of health and wellness in our community reaches across many sectors. Selma AIR is excited to partner with this event as well as with the Selma City Schools on the ‘Doing Our Part Everyday’ campaign to encourage personal responsibility and collaboration across community agencies…we all have to do our part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and HIV as we spread a little joy.”
Virtual education has become a common term among families in our community. To help better assess student and parent experiences, the Selma Center for Nonviolence has stepped up to the plate to offer incentives for parents or guardians of scholars attending any one of the Selma City Schools or Dallas County Public Schools. The Center is giving away $100 gift cards to event participants because of a generous donation from the Schusterman Family Foundation in partnership with the New Teacher Project. The survey focuses on education during the pandemic and beyond.
“It is important for our local organizations to partner now more than ever and to be in relationship with one another as we look to address the hardships across our community,” said Ainka Jackson, Executive Director at the Selma Center for Nonviolence. “The gift cards are a way to support youth and families during the second wave of a pandemic when economically our community has not recovered from the first wave.”
During the event on Friday there will be approximately $15,000 in gift cards distributed to
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